Page 11 - My FlipBook

Water, Ice, And Magic!

Or is it science?

Mama placed the ice-cube on a flat coaster on the table, and Papa placed the
thread on top of the ice-cube. He stretched the thread across the top surface of
the ice-cube and applied a downward pressure with the thread.

"What are you doing Papa?" Tania asked.

Papa was focussing on the experiment, so Mama answered. "You remember you
asked why the ice does not melt back in to water when the pipe pushes on it
forcing it to be smaller."

"Yes. And you said it does to some extent."

"Yes and this experiment will show you that. Papa is pushing down on the ice-
cube with the thread, forcing that thin strip to be smaller, and so the ice there
will melt. Once it melts, the thread will go in. But once the thread goes under,
the water above it no longer has any pressure on it and it will refreeze in to ice.
This is called regelation."

"Oh so will the thread be caught inside the ice-cube and stick out of the two
sides?" Tania asked.

"Yes. That's exactly it." Mama replied.

"So will it look like a necklace made of thread with an ice pendant?" Tania
asked.

"Why Tania, you do have a wonderful imagination. I had never thought of it
that way, but that is exactly what it will look like." Mama clapped Tania on her
back.

As if right on cue, Papa sang out. "Taa-daa!" He was holding up a necklace of
black thread with an ice-cube pendant. Even Sonia was excited, and came
running to examine it. She begged to be allowed to wear it. Mama and Tania
laughed as Papa fit the necklace on Sonia.

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